Rational for the Study Emergency department (ED) patients frequently require rapid, short-term intravenous (IV) access for diagnosis and treatment of emergency medical conditions. IV access can be uncomfortable and painful for the patient. Therefore ensuring first attempt success is important. Furthermore, given the time-sensitive nature of emergent medical conditions, immediate success helps to minimize delay in analgesic medication administration, resuscitation and therapeutic interventions. The process of obtaining IV access has the potential for operator exposure to blood-borne pathogens. After a tourniquet is placed on an extremity, positive venous pressure forces blood out of the catheter until a lure lock can be applied. Traditional IV catheters require the operator to kink the catheter and apply pressure to the body of the catheter to mitigate the degree of blood leakage while simultaneously connecting the lure lock. This is a complicated process that often leads to blood contamination of the insertion site, and the environment, including the potential for blood spillage on the bedding, ground or the operator. In addition to the potential for blood-born pathogen exposures, this spillage leads to further patient care delays, as it requires prompt cleaning.